NYC Facts

The New-York Historical Society and NYC Media, the official network of the City of New York, have partnered to produce a special series of 90 one-minute videos that feature the staff of the New-York Historical Society as they answer some of the most captivating questions ever posed to them about the City’s fascinating and unique history. And now, the series has been nominated for a New York Emmy award!

Support the New-York Historical Society

What was the New York Crystal Palace, and where was it located?

The New York Crystal Palace exhibition opened in 1853. It was America's first world fair, modeled on the Great Exhibition held at the Crystal Palace in London two years earlier. New York's Crystal Palace was located in what is known today as Bryant Park. For a while it was a popular attraction, but it closed in 1854 and burned to the ground in 1858.